49ers’ game grades vs. Saints: Bountiful offense,...

1of2San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) celebrates his touchdown in the second half an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Brett Duke)Photo: Brett Duke / Associated Press

2of2The 49ers’ George Kittle scores a touchdown as the Saints’ Craig Robertson defends during the second half of Sunday’s game.Photo: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images

Offense

Let’s see, they scored 48 points, had their fourth-most yards (516) since 2000 and had nine plays of at least 20 yards. They were so good that the logical response after the Saints’ late-game, go-ahead score was: “Whoops, they left too much time on the clock.” Jimmy Garoppolo (349 yards, 4 TDs) was brilliant in the Superdome din against a top-10 defense, and tight end George Kittle resembled Earl Campbell on his 39-yard catch-and-run-over-everyone play to set up the game-winning field goal. Emmanuel Sanders became the first 49ers player to throw for a TD and catch a score in a game — and he did it in the first 21 minutes.

Defense

Well, that was humbling. The NFL’s top-ranked defense was shredded by Drew Brees (349 yards, 5 TDs) and surrendered 465 yards, 28 first downs and two too-easy scoring passes in the frenetic fourth quarter. The 49ers didn’t have a sack for the first time this season, although their lone turnover, a forced fumble by nose tackle D.J. Jones, led to a two-play, 20-yard TD drive in the third quarter.

Special teams

New Orleans returner Deontre Harris, a rookie from Assumption, went wild against the 49ers’ return units. Harris had a 51-yard kickoff return, a 25-yard punt runback and totaled 192 yards on seven runbacks. The 49ers also had two holding penalties on punts: D.J. Reed was flagged on a return and Marcell Harris was penalized in punt coverage. Robbie Gould delivered a 30-yard game-winning field goal, which was preceded by a clutch 41-yarder with 2:23 left.

Kyle Shanahan’s many tricks were effective. Sanders threw his TD pass on a double-lateral play that left Raheem Mostert wide open for a 35-yard score. And Mostert had an 18-yard run that set up a TD, one play after he received an option pitch from fullback Kyle Juszczyk on a 3rd-and-1. Meanwhile, it’s fair to say the Saints’ Sean Payton, one of the NFL’s elite play-callers, had his way with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

Overall

The 49ers overcame a 13-point second-quarter deficit and converted a 4th-and-2 on a game-winning drive against a 10-2 team in about as hostile an environment as you’ll find. The 49ers are probably beyond proving themselves, but all the same, they did show they can win when their smothering defense takes a Sunday off.

Eric Branch has worked at the San Francisco Chronicle since 2011 as the 49ers beat writer. Before that, he covered the 49ers for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat in 2010. Since he began his career in journalism in 1997 in Logansport, Ind., he’s covered events ranging from archery tournaments to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.